Beyond_Salisbury_003_web

This afternoon there are just two flat cards to look forward to at Bath and Ffos Las.  The stable has one runner at Bath, Beyond who goes in the 2.40pm race over the marathon flat trip of 2m1f.  He has to defy top weight of 10-2 (less Willie Twiston-Davies' 3lbs claim) and a couple of disappointing recent runs.  Our six year old was victorious on the flat at Salisbury on his penultimate start on the level and hopefully this quicker ground will help him recapture that sort of form.

Read more...

Back_down_the_gallops

Sadly it was a very different performance from Diamond's Return at Bangor yesterday from the effort he produced at Uttoxeter on Wednesday.  According to jockey Conor O'Farrell he ran flat and the race could have come too soon after his success 48 hours earlier.  It will be interesting to see what the handicapper does with him after this lacklustre effort.

Read more...

Diamonds_Return_Exeter
                    Diamonds Return

Diamonds Return runs again today at Bangor after winning at Uttoxeter two days ago.  The step up to three miles seemed to bring about improvement as he went from last to first in that race and he runs here with a seven pound penalty before the handicapper has his say.  Conor rides him for his father and he gave him a peach of a ride.  This is a slightly better race but he seems to have come out of the Uttoxeter race really well which is why we have decided to run him again.  A similar level of form should see him go well this afternoon.  As well as the one jumps meeting there are three on the flat today.  There is racing at Doncaster, Sandown and Wolverhampton.

Read more...

Diamonds_Return_Exeter

I thought that Conor O'Farrell gave Diamond's Return a cracking hold-up ride at Uttoxeter yesterday afternoon.  Diamond's Return looked to have plenty to do for much of the race but his young jockey remained as cool as ice and produced him with a beautifully timed run at the last hurdle to win cosily by 2 1/2 lengths.  The step up to three miles seemed to suit the gelding well and I hear that he could turn out again at Bangor tomorrow under a penalty.  His effort yesterday looked like a copybook Richard Hughes or Timmy Murphy waiting ride...it really was that good.

Read more...

Diamonds_Return_Exeter

This afternoon we have four meetings to look forward to - three on the flat at Doncaster, Carlisle and Kempton as well as a meeting over jumps at Uttoxeter.  The stable has one runner at Uttoxeter this afternoon, Diamonds Return who is top weight in the three mile handicap hurdle at 4.25pm.  It's a step up in trip for our nine year old who produced his best run for some time when third at Ffos Las last time out.  He won three races on the spin last summer but is still paying for it now, as he is 14lbs higher than his last winning mark.  He has shown he can still be competitive from this mark, let's hope the longer trip can bring about a bit of further improvement.

Read more...

Tanerko_Emery_gallops_Sept_web

There are four meetings to look forward to this afternoon - three on the level at Leicester, Redcar and Beverley as well as a National Hunt fixture at Worcester.  The stable has one runner, Vapiano who participates in the handicap hurdle at Worcester at 4.10pm.  Vapiano has only finished runner-up once from ten starts to date but ran okay on his Pond House debut when fourth last time out, a mistake at the penultimate hurdle costing him quite a bit of ground.  Once again, it is not exactly breaking news, but the most prize money on offer today is at the Irish meeting of Galway.

Read more...

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon - two over the sticks at Perth and Huntingdon and one on the level at Brighton.  As I am sure you would have guessed, the best prize money on offer on these shores is at Brighton's flat card, although £26,000 shared between seven races is not exactly anything to get overexcited about, especially when you consider that the Galway card in Ireland offers £126,000 in prize money across their seven race fixture.  How much longer can this go on for?

Read more...